Line clip

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a line clip, by means of which adjacent supply lines of varying types or other long components can be fixed together or fixed to a support piece. The above comprises a housing piece ( 1 ), with retaining recesses ( 5 ) embodied therein to match the cross-sections of the lines concerned, clipping arms ( 6 ), moulded on both sides of the retaining recess ( 5 ), which are inclined towards each other and a securing clip ( 2 ) which way be placed over the housing piece ( 1 ) with counter recesses ( 16 ) embodied thereon which are complementary to the reraining recess of the housing piece ( 1 ) and also match the cross sections of the lines. Locking elements ( 18 ) are moulded at both ends of the housing piece ( 1 ) and the securing clip ( 2 ), which clip into each other on placing the securing clip ( 2 ) on the housing piece ( 1 ). Several or a larger number of lines may be accommodated in a smaller space than before in such a line clip if the clipping regions defined by the clipping arms ( 6 ) on the various retaining recesses are offset relative to each other without causing a hindrance to the fitting of the lines.

The invention relates to a line clip for fastening adjacent supply linesof various types or other long components to a carrier component and/orfor the mutual fastening of such adjacent supply lines or longcomponents, consisting of a receiving part with holding troughs formedon it and adapted to the particular line cross sections and withclamping legs formed on both sides of the holding troughs, andconsisting of a safety bracket that can be laid over the receiving partand that has countertroughs that are designed in a complementary mannerto the holding troughs of the receiving part and are also adapted to theline cross sections, wherein engagement elements are formed on both endsof the receiving part and of the safety bracket that engage into eachother when the safety bracket is laid on the receiving part.

There is a need, especially in vehicle construction, to house severalsupply lines of various types, that is, e.g., for fuel and/or powercables, in the narrowest possible space and to fix them mutually andalso to the carrier component, e.g., on steel sheet. The supply linesmust of course not disturb each other and also their mounting must notbe unnecessarily hindered. DE 38 02 698 A1 teaches a line clip in whicha holding trough is provided on one side adjacent to the clamping bodythat can be set on a bolt, and on its other side two holding troughs forpipelines are provided adjacent to one another. Each holding trough hastwo clamping legs that surround the particular pipeline in a clip-likemanner. The adjacent clamping legs of the two holding troughs arrangedadjacent to one another maintain a spacing from one another into whichthe safety bracket engages with a clamping element after the insertionof the lines during the closing of the safety bracket. As a consequenceof the spacing between the holding troughs and the adjacent clampinglegs, the lines do not hinder each other, even during assembly. One theother hand, this line clip requires a relatively large amount of spacefor a total of only three supply lines, which becomes even moredisadvantageous if more supply lines are added.

DE 24 46 133 A1 teaches a line clip in the case of which adjacentclamping legs of different lines, which legs are formed on the receivingpart, have a common root, separate upward in a dovetail manner, and arebent in an opposing manner in a clip-like fashion. The dovetail allowsthe clamping legs to expand when the lines are laid in. However, thespace saving achieved is extremely small compared to a design withcompletely separated clamping legs because the common root must haveapproximately double the width of a single clamping leg.

EP 0 454 876 B1 teaches a bipartite line clip in which two adjacentholding troughs on the receiving part are separated by a common clampingleg and on the latter oppositely directed hooks staggered in thelongitudinal direction of the lines to be received are formed that placethemselves in a clip-like manner on the lines. In spite of the hooksstaggered in the longitudinal direction, a hindrance during the mountingof the lines cannot be completely excluded if the one holding trough hasalready been filled and a line is to be placed into the adjacent holdingtrough.

The receiving part and the safety bracket of these known line clips haveengagement elements on their narrow ends that mutually engage into eachother during the closing of the safety bracket. It has turned out thatgiven the tendency to fix more and more different lines with one lineclip, this catch on the two ends is no longer sufficient. As the numberof lines rises, the line clips must become wider and wider, and thereceiving part and the safety bracket finally tend to curve in towardthe middle.

The invention addresses the problem of creating a line clip that permitsseveral different supply lines to be mutually fixed to a carrier partwhile saving as much space as possible and also as the number of linesto be received rises, a curving up of the safety bracket and/or of thereceiving part should be avoided.

The invention achieves this in that the clamping areas defined by theclamping legs on the various holding troughs are staggered relative toone another. This results in the arrangement of the holding troughs andclamping legs in a distinct saving of space that permits the housing ofseveral or even of a larger number of supply lines in a narrow space.

According to a first embodiment of the invention the clamping legsenclose holding troughs in two superposed planes by means of clampingnoses inclined towards each other.

Two holding troughs running adjacent to each other in one plane areadvantageously separated from one another by a low separating wall andgrasped by two clamping legs raised up on both sides; clamping nosesinclined and bent toward each other are formed on the free ends of theclamping legs which noses determine together with the curved frontsurface of the separating wall another holding trough for another supplyline. Thus, lines can be fixed in two planes and independently of eachother.

According to another embodiment the adjacent clamping legs of twoholding troughs running parallel to one another extend in thelongitudinal direction of the lines to be received only over a partialsection of the receiving part and are staggered relative to each otherin this longitudinal direction. In this manner several supply lines canbe fixed relative to each other in one plane in a space-saving mannerwithout hindrances occurring.

According to one preferred embodiment of the invention the adjacentclamping legs of two holding troughs running parallel to one anotherextend in the longitudinal direction of the lines to be received onlyover a partial section of the receiving part and are staggered relativeto each other in the longitudinal direction as well as in the transversedirection and can partially overlap in the transverse direction. Thestaggered arrangement in two directions and the overlapping create anadditional saving of space.

According to a further development of this embodiment both clamping legsof several holding troughs running parallel to one another extend in thelongitudinal direction of the lines to be received only over a partialsection of the receiving part and are staggered relative to each otherin pairs without mutual contact in the longitudinal direction as well asin the transverse direction and the adjacent clamping legs of twoholding troughs partially overlap each other.

In addition, the clamping legs of at least one holding trough can alsobe staggered relative to each other in the longitudinal direction of theline to be received. This embodiment is especially advantageous if arather large number of lines is to be received in one line clip.

In order to avoid a sagging of the receiving part and/or of the safetybracket in line clips designed for fixing a rather large number oflines, engagement elements can also be provided on their twolongitudinal sides in addition to their two narrow sides which elementsengage in each other when the safety bracket is laid on the receivingpart.

If a fastening column with a through hole for fastening the line clip toa carrier component is formed on the receiving part in a known mannerbetween the holding troughs, laterally projecting engagement noses canbe provided on the fastening column that engage during the laying of thesafety bracket on the receiving part with claws projecting inward fromthe edge of the safety bracket.

The invention is described in detail in the following with referencemade to the attached drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of the inventionon a reduced scale and in a still open state.

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the embodiment according to FIG. 1 in theclosed state.

FIG. 3 shows a section along axis A-A through the embodiment accordingto FIG. 1 on a larger scale.

FIG. 4 shows a top view of the embodiment according to FIG. 1 on thescale of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 shows a view of the same embodiment tilted by 90° relative toFIG. 4.

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of the inventionon a reduced scale and in a still open state.

FIG. 7 shows a side view of the embodiment according to FIG. 6 in theclosed state.

FIG. 8 shows a side view of the embodiment according to FIG. 6 on alarger scale and in a still open state.

FIG. 9 shows a top view of the embodiment according to FIG. 6 on thescale of FIG. 8 and in the open state.

FIG. 10 shows a sectional view along axis A-A in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 shows a sectional view according to FIG. 10 in the closed stateof this embodiment.

FIG. 12 shows a perspective view of a third embodiment of the inventionon a reduced scale and in the open state.

FIG. 13 shows a side view of the embodiment according to FIG. 12 in theclosed state.

FIG. 14 shows a side view of the embodiment according to FIG. 12 on alarger scale and in the open state.

FIG. 15 shows a top view of the embodiment according to FIG. 12 on thescale of FIG. 14 and in the open state.

FIG. 16 shows a side view of a fourth embodiment of the invention on alarger scale and in the open state.

FIG. 17 shows a top view onto the embodiment of FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 shows a side view of the embodiment according to FIG. 16 on areduced scale and in the closed state.

A first embodiment of a line clip of the invention is shown in FIGS. 1to 5. The line clip consists of receiving part 1 with a substantiallyrectangular basic outline and with safety bracket 2 articulated to it onits one narrow side. At first, three holding troughs 5 for supply lineswith a cross sectional diameter of 4.75 mm in the example are providedin receiving part 1, which troughs are separated from each other byseparating walls 3, 4 and are arranged adjacent to each other at thesame height. Holding troughs 5 located closer to the free end ofreceiving part 1 form a holding-trough pair and are separated from oneanother by low, conically tapering separating wall 3. They are jointlyheld by clamping legs 6 that are raised up on both sides and curvedtoward each other and on whose upper ends clamping noses 7 directedtoward each other are formed. Clamping noses 7 are formed in such amanner that their inner surfaces describe, together with front surface 8of separating wall 3, sections of an upwardly open circular arc whosediameter corresponds to the cross section of another supply line, 10 mmin the example shown. Inner clamping leg 6 is located on a line withseparating wall 4, divided into two parts by this clamping leg 6, at theinner lying holding trough 5 that is limited on its other side by twolaterally upwardly extending struts 9 and by fastening column 11 locatedbetween these struts and formed on inner wall 10 of receiving part 1.Through hole 12 is provided in this fastening column 11 for receiving abolt or a screw with which the line clip can be fastened to a carriercomponent (not shown). Other clamping noses 7 can be provided onseparating walls 3, 4 and struts 9 which noses shape holding troughs 5in their cross section to an upwardly open divided circle. Innersurfaces of separating walls 4 and of inner clamping leg 6 facing eachother on the one side and of struts 9 and the fastening column 11 on theother side are formed in the vicinity of their free end and at a spacingover holding trough 5 located on the inside in accordance with the crosssection of another supply line.

Receiving part 1 described here by way of example can thus receive atotal of five different supply lines in two superposed plates in anarrow space, namely, in holding troughs 5, between the free ends ofstruts 9 and of separating walls 4 and between front surface 8 ofseparating wall 3 and clamping noses 7 of resilient clamping legs 6without the supply lines and their mounting being disturbed. This isbasically achieved in that clamping elements 6, 7 for the individualsupply lines are staggered and arranged at least partially overlappingeach other in such a manner that they do not influence each othermutually or influence each other mutually only minimally or that theycannot hinder each other when unbending.

Rectangular safety bracket 2 is articulated to inner wall 10 ofreceiving part 1 by narrow webs 14 and comprises upwardly projectingedge 15 on each of its two longitudinal sides. Countertroughs 16 shapedlike a partial circle are provided in these edges 15, and thecountertroughs 16 supplement or close the circular arcs defined betweenthe free ends of clamping legs 6 or clamping noses 7 and between thefree ends of separating walls 4 and struts 9 when safety bracket 2 islaid over receiving part 1 so that the previously inserted supply linesare held securely in place. Moreover, recesses 17 are present in edges15 into which recesses the ends of struts 9 and of separating walls 4fit during the laying over of safety bracket 2.

Cooperating engagement elements 18 are provided in a known manner on thetwo narrow sides of receiving part 1 and safety bracket 2, and theelements 18 intermesh during the laying over of safety bracket 2 andthus reliably hold the line clip closed.

FIGS. 6 to 11 show a second embodiment of the invention. The basic formis the same as described above: a rectangular receiving part 1 and arectangular security bracket 2 are articulated to one another on theiradjacent narrow sides. Holding troughs 5 for three supply lines areprovided in receiving part 1, and the supply lines are held byclip-shaped expandable clamping legs 6 with facing clamping noses 7 forreceiving the supply lines. Fastening column 11 with through hole 12 forreceiving a fastening bolt or fastening screw separates holding trough 5with its clamping legs 6 running next to the free end of receiving part1 from a holding-trough pair 5. Even inner clamping legs 6, which aredirectly adjacent to each other, of the two holding troughs 5 areentirely independent of each other. They extend in the longitudinaldirection of the lines to be received only over a partial section of theparticular holding trough 5 in each instance and are arranged staggeredin the longitudinal direction of holding troughs 5 as well as in thedirection of the transverse axis. It is preferable if, as can best beseen from FIGS. 8 and 9, the adjacent clamping legs 6 of two holdingtroughs 5 can overlap in the direction of the transverse axis. As aresult of this arrangement and design inner clamping legs 6 are alsocompletely separated from each other so that when the supply lines areset in, no hindrance can occur and yet the lines come to rest very closeto each other in a space-saving manner on account of the staggered andoverlapping arrangement of the lines. Stiffening element 19 can bearranged on the transverse axis between staggered clamping legs 6 inorder to prevent an erroneous mounting on the holding elements and toprotect them from damage.

When safety bracket 2 is laid over receiving part 1 after the insertionof the supply lines, countertroughs 16 provided in longitudinal edges 15of safety bracket 2 supplement holding troughs 5 into a circle closed inits cross section in this instance too, see FIG. 7, and the lines aresecurely fixed. In addition to cooperating engagement elements 18provided on the narrow sides of receiving part 1 and of safety bracket 2in a known manner, which elements hold the line clip closed after theplacing of safety bracket 2, another safety mechanism operating in thismanner can be provided. According to the embodiment shown, to this endengagement noses 20 projecting on both sides from fastening column 11are provided that cooperate with inwardly directed claws 21 formed onboth edges 15 of safety bracket 2. This additional safety isparticularly advantageous for line clips designed for receiving a fairlylarge number of lines.

FIGS. 12 to 15 show an embodiment of the invention designed, startingfrom the basic form already described, for the holding and mutual fixingof five different supply lines in one plane. Holding troughs 5 for fivedifferent supply lines that can also have different cross sections areprovided in rectangular receiving part 1 on both sides of fasteningcolumn 11 with through-hole 12. In the example shown, holding troughs 5for three lines with the same cross section are provided between thefree end of receiving part 1 and fastening column 11, and holdingtroughs 5 for two lines with different and larger cross sections areprovided between fastening column 11 and the end connected to safetybracket 2. Each of the holding troughs 5 is held by a separate pair ofclip-shaped clamping legs 6 with clamping noses 7. Clamping legs 6extend in the longitudinal direction of the lines to be received onlyover a partial section of receiving part 1 and are staggered relative toeach other in pairs both in the longitudinal direction of the lines tobe received as well as in the transverse direction in such a manner thatno mutual hindering or adverse influencing of clamping legs 6 or of thelines to be received can occur. It is preferable if adjacent clampinglegs 6 of two holding troughs 5 running adjacent to one another overlapat least partially in the transverse direction, but without contactingone another. In this manner several different supply lines, five in theexample shown, can be received and fixed adjacent to each other by theline clip in a narrow space. Also in this embodiment countertroughs 16to holding troughs 5 are provided in edge 15 of safety bracket 2, andthe countertroughs 16 close holding troughs 5 at clamping legs 6 whensafety bracket 2 is placed on receiving part 1 or come to rest tightlyon the lines in the area outside clamping legs 6 so that the lines aresecurely held.

Engagement noses 20 projecting away from fastening column 11 are alsoprovided here in addition to engagement elements 18 provided on the twonarrow sides of receiving part 1 and safety bracket 2 for securing theline clip in the closed state (see FIG. 13), and the noses 20 cooperatewith claws 21 inwardly projecting from edges 15 of safety bracket 2.

FIGS. 16 to 18 show another embodiment of the invention starting fromthe same basic form. Similar to the embodiment according to FIGS. 12 to15, three holding troughs 5 for supply lines with two differentdiameters are provided on receiving part 1 on the one side of fasteningcolumn 11, and on the other side of fastening column 11 two holdingtroughs 5 are provided for supply lines of another, larger diameter. Inthis instance clamping legs 6 of holding troughs 5 for the two largerlines are not staggered but rather are located in pairs on one line.Clamping legs 6 of the three first-cited holding troughs 5 are staggeredin pairs both in the longitudinal direction of the lines to be receivedas well as in the transverse direction in a manner already described forthe embodiment of FIGS. 12 to 15. Moreover, the two clamping legs 6 ofat least one holding trough 5, of the outermost holding trough 5 in theinstance shown, are additionally staggered relative to one another inthe longitudinal direction of the lines to be received. This permits theadjacent holding trough 5 with its clamping legs 6 to be approached oncemore closer to the first holding trough without the clamping area on thelines having to be shortened further.

1. A line clip for fastening lines to a carrier component comprising: areceiving part with integrally formed holding troughs adapted tocorrespond to a cross-sectional size of the lines, wherein a clampingleg is formed on a side of each of the holding troughs, and the clampingleg on the side of each of the holding troughs is inclined towards acenter line of the holding trough; and a safety bracket connected to thereceiving part having countertroughs that are complementary to theholding troughs of the receiving part and adapted to correspond to thecross-sectional size of the line, wherein two holding troughs runningadjacent to each other in one plane are separated from one another by alow separating wall, and the clamping legs on opposed sides of theholding trough have clamping noses that are inclined and bent towardeach other formed on the free ends of the clamping legs, the clampingnoses determining together with a curved front surface of the separatingwall another holding trough for another supply line; and an engagementelement formed on an end of the receiving part that engages acorresponding engagement element formed on an end of the safety bracketwhen the safety bracket is laid on the receiving part, such that each ofthe clamping areas, defined by the clamping leg on the side of theholding trough, are offset relative to each other.
 2. The line clipaccording to claim 1, wherein the adjacent clamping legs of two holdingtroughs extend parallel to one another in the longitudinal direction ofthe lines to be received only over a partial section of the receivingpert and are staggered relative to each other in the longitudinaldirection.
 3. The line clip according to claim 1, wherein the adjacentclamping legs of two adjacent holding troughs extend in the longitudinaldirection of the lines to be received only over a partial section of thereceiving part and are staggered relative to each other in thelongitudinal direction and also in the transverse direction andpartially overlap each other in the transverse direction.
 4. The lineclip according to claim 1, wherein both clamping legs of several holdingtroughs extend parallel to one another in the longitudinal direction ofthe lines to be received only over a partial section of the receivingpart and are staggered relative to each other in pairs without mutualcontact in the longitudinal direction as well as in the transversedirection and adjacent clamping legs of two holding troughs partiallyoverlap each other.
 5. The line clip according to claim 4, wherein theclamping legs of at least one holding trough are offset relative to eachother in the longitudinal direction of the line to be received.
 6. Theline clip according to claim 1, wherein each of the receiving part andthe safety bracket is rectangular in configuration, and engagementelements are provided on the two narrow sides and on the twolongitudinal sides of both the receiving part and the safety bracket,and the engagement elements engage each other when the safety bracket islaid on the receiving part.
 7. A line clip for Listening lines to acarrier component comprising: a receiving part with integrally formedholding troughs adapted to correspond to a cross-sectional size of thelines, wherein a clamping leg is formed on a side of each of the holdingtroughs, and the clamping leg on the side of each of the holding troughsis inclined towards a center of the holding trough; and a safety bracketconnected to the receiving part having countertroughs that arecomplementary to the holding troughs of the receiving part and adaptedto correspond to the cross-sectional size of the line, an engagementelement formed on an end of the receiving part that engages acorresponding engagement element formed on an end of the safety bracketwhen the safety bracket is laid on the receiving part, such that each ofthe clamping areas, defined by the clamping leg on the side of theholding trough, are offset relative to each other, wherein each of thereceiving part and the safety bracket are rectangular in configuration,and the engagement elements are located on the two narrow sides as wellas on the two longitudinal sides of both the receiving part and thesafety bracket, and the engagement elements engage each other when thesafety bracket is laid on the receiving part, a fastening column with athrough hole for fastening the line clip to the carrier component thatis formed on the receiving part between the holding troughs, wherein thefastening column includes laterally projecting engagement noses and thesafety bracket includes claws protecting inward from the edge of thesafety bracket, such that the claws engage the engagement noses when thesafety bracket is laid on the receiving part.
 8. A line clip forfastening lines to a carrier component comprising: a receiving parthaving integrally formed holding troughs adapted for receiving thelines, wherein the receiving part includes a horizontally extending basewall; a clamping leg extending vertically and upwardly from the basewall of the receiving part on a side of the corresponding holdingtrough, wherein an upper edge of the clamping leg is inclined towards acenter of the holding trough, and the clamping leg is laterally offset apredetermined distance from another clamping leg; a safety bracketpivotally connected to the receiving part, wherein the safety bracketincludes a countertrough that is complementary to the correspondingholding trough of the receiving part; an engagement element formed on anend of the receiving part for operatively engaging a cooperatingengagement element formed on an end of the safety bracket, such that aclamping area defined by each clamping leg and corresponding holdingtrough is offset from an adjacent clamping area on the same plane, whenthe receiving part engagement element is engaged by the safety bracketengagement element.
 9. The line clip according to claim 8, furthercomprising a clamping nose located on an uppermost edge of the clampingleg, wherein the clamping nose is inclined towards the center of theholding trough.
 10. The line clip according to claim 8, wherein twoholding troughs running adjacent to each other in one plane areseparated by a low separating wall and the clamping legs on opposedsides of the holding trough having clamping noses that are inclined andbent toward each other formed on the free ends of the clamping legs, theclamping noses determining together with a curved front surface of theseparating wall another holding trough.
 11. The line clip according toclaim 8, wherein the adjacent clamping legs of two holding troughsextend parallel to one another in the longitudinal direction of thelines to be received only over a partial section of the receiving partand are staggered relative to each other in the longitudinal direction.12. The line clip according to claim 8, wherein the adjacent clampinglegs of two adjacent holding troughs extend in the longitudinaldirection of the lines to be received only over a partial section of thereceiving part and are staggered relative to each other in thelongitudinal direction and also in the transverse direction andpartially overlap each other in the transverse direction.
 13. The lineclip according to claim 8, wherein both clamping legs of several holdingtroughs extend parallel to one another in the longitudinal direction ofthe lines to be received only over a partial section of the receivingpart and are staggered relative to each other in pairs without mutualcontact in the longitudinal direction as well as in the transversedirection and adjacent clamping legs of two holding troughs partiallyoverlap each other.
 14. The line clip according to claim 13, wherein theclamping legs of at least one holding trough are offset relative to eachother in the longitudinal direction of the line to be received.
 15. Theline clip according to claim 8, wherein each of the receiving part andthe safety bracket is rectangular in configuration, and engagementelements are provided on the two narrow sides and on the twolongitudinal sides of both the receiving part and the safety bracket andthe engagement elements engage each other when the safety bracket islaid on the receiving part.
 16. The line clip according to claim 15,further comprising a fastening column with a through hole for fasteningthe line clip to the carrier component that is formed on the receivingpart between the holding troughs wherein the fastening column includeslaterally projecting engagement noses and the safety bracket includesclaws projecting inward from the edge of the safety bracket, such thatthe claws engage the engagement noses when the safety bracket is laid onthe receiving part.